This invention relates to disposable absorbent articles and more particularly to articles such as disposable diapers, sanitary napkins or the like that are used for absorption and containment of body exudates.
Absorbent articles of such type are well known and generally comprise a liquid-permeable topsheet, a liquid-impermeable backsheet, a liquid-absorbent core disposed between these two sheets and a pair of elastically stretchable/contractile side flaps being contiguous to and extending along transversely opposite side edges of the core. Disposable diapers are also well known which include paired side flaps that comprise a first pair of elastically stretchable/contractile side flaps that extend outward from transversely opposite side edges of a liquid-absorbent core, and a second pair of elastically stretchable/contractile side flaps that are contiguous to and extend along transversely opposite side edges of the core.
Japanese Patent Application Disclosure (Kokai) No. Hei8-215239 discloses a disposable diaper having first and second pairs of side flaps, each of the second side flaps being folded in a zigzag manner to form a plurality of pleats between its proximal edge and its distal edge. These pleats contain elastically stretchable/contractile members extending along their apices, respectively.
In the case of the well known disposable diaper disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Disclosure (Kokai) No. Hei8-215239, the second pair of side flaps have the pleats that are adapted to come elastically into line-contact with the wearer's skin along the apices of the respective pleats. However, a region defined between the apex of the outermost pleat and the distal edge of the second side flap often comes elastically into in surface-contact with the wearer's skin. Such surface-contact is certainly effective to prevent leakage of body exudates but may cause skin eruption over a large area. In addition, the pleats are relatively large and the sheet material for the second side flaps must be relatively large. Consequently, the manufacturing cost of the diaper is correspondingly increased.